Remsen, J.V. 1976 Journal July 22 (Cont) Black-headed Grosbeak House Finch 4 7 Black-throated Sparrow Desert Bighouse Sheep Comments: Pt. Pite bird density has plummeted conspicuously since my last visit two months ago, on 19 May. Paroakeples, Costals gone Hummingbirds, and Lesser Gold Finches are now completely gone, and the goldfinches may not have even bred - I thought previously that they were a breeding bird here. Mourning Doves have dropped from 193 to 16, although one bird was still on a nest. House Finches have decreased noticeably. Species which have increased are local residents which are now coming in for water which they apparently did not need in May: Gambel's Quail (140), Chukar (35), and Black-throated Sparrow (10). There are already fall migrants: Western Tanager (12) Bullock's Oriole (1), Scott's Oriole (2), Western Flycatcher (1), Warbling Vireo (1) The lowlands of the desert are virtually deserted - Mourning Doves and House Finches in particular have very completely left. Even Black-throated Sparrows have deserted areas in which they bred. Did they migrate south or more higher to cooler temps and more water? Rock Wrens have also disappeared, even from Pt. Pite where there is water. July 24 Salton Sea, Riverside Co., Calif Area: Same as on July 14 Time: 0600-1000 Wind: 0 Temp: 75-90 Sky: clear Observers: Eugene Cardiff, Steve Cardiff, Linda Hale Species: Eared Grebe Western Grebe White Pelican Brown Pelican Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Green Heron Great Egret Snowy Egret Cattle Egret Black-crowned Night Heron White Ibis Cinnamon Teal Redhead Ruddy Duck Gambel's Quail Clapper Rail Am. Coot Com. Gallinule Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Greater Yellowlegs Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Willet Long-billed Dowitcher Am. Avocet Black-necked Stilt Wilson's Phalarope Northern Phalarope Calif Gull Ring-billed Gull Bonaparte's Gull 500 50 26 10 5 15 5 5 150 1 30 1 200 1 100 (Gyg) 1 1 25 5 1 5 3 200 20 1 15 300 50 2 1 1 40 2 (1 fresh dead, 1 sick) Caspian Tern Forster's Tern Gull-billed Tern Black Tern Black Skimmer Mourning Dove Lesser Nighthawk Ladder-backed Woodpecker Western Kingbird Tree Swallow Vermilion Flycatcher Long-billed Marsh Wren Cactus Wren Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Com. Yellowthroat Yellow-headed Blackbird Red-winged Blackbird Bullock's Oriole Brown-headed Cowbird Abert's Towhee Song Sparrow Least Bittern Blue Grosbeak 40 36 6 200 2 2 1 1 5 2 15 1 1 10 106 200 1 5 2 3 15 1